Silver epee: 10th medal for Italy at European Championships

Another medal for the Azzurri at the European Championships.

The Italian men’s epee team è d'silver and gives Italy its 10th medal of the ongoing European Championships 2024 in Basel. On the penultimate day of the continental kermis in Switzerland, the epee team composed of Davide Di Veroli, Andrea Santarelli, Federico Vismara and Gabriele Cimini è climbed to the second step of the podium surrendering only in the final to France, a longtime rival that è took revenge on the reigning world champions over the match for last year’s rainbow gold in Milan.

But è a shining silver that of CT Dario Chiad&ograve’s boys, protagonists of an exhilarating and perfect run before the final act. The Azzurri in the round of 16 debuted with success over Denmark 45-41, in a match always led. In the quarters, the challenge with Ukraine è was fought point by point: the Italian epee swordsmen faced it with compactness and determination, taking off among the "magnificent four" with the score of 40-36.

Then, in the semifinals, the Azzurri dominated the assault against Spain, soon stretching the pace and increasing fraction after fraction the lead, with a show of strength, until closing on 43-30 worth the ticket to the final. The match for the gold, on the other hand, was the prerogative of France, which was good at immediately taking the lead in the match and closing it in its own favor at 45-24. But for the Di Veroli-Santarelli-Vismara-Cimini quartet the silver è a confirmation at the highest level ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.

It è stopped instead in the quarterfinals the race of the Italian women saber that deployed Michela Battiston, Martina Criscio, Chiara Mormile and Irene Vecchi. The girls of coach Nicola Zanotti were defeated 45-37 by Spain in an assault that, after a good start by the Italian sabre players, è was always in the hands of the Iberians, who thus diverted the Azzurri to the placings table. Here Italy first lost to Poland (45-38) and then beat Germany (45-36), thus finishing seventh.

Italy è always leads the Medal Book for Nations with 4 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals won so far, although France after its two successes on Saturday is hoping for overtaking in the closing credits. It will therefore be battle on Sunday, in the sixth and final day of the Basel 2024 European Championships in which the close will be entrusted to the team competitions in women’s foil and men’s saber.